The Flaming Bob Marley Shot

May 11th marks the anniversary of the death of music legend Bob Marley.We figured we’d make the Bob Marley Shot in his honor. No doubt Bob Marley had that intangible factor that few artists ever have. Like other music luminaries Jimi Hendrix and Tupac Shakur, who also died young, Marley’s words and music seemed to cross boundaries and reach people right where they were at. In honor of the undisputed king of reggae music, today we’re making Flaming Bob Marley Shots. April 20th is right around the corner, so perhaps you should be downing this Bob Marley drink at 4:20pm. A huge spliff in the other hand is optional.

Flaming Bob Marley Shot

½ oz grenadine

½ oz Galliano or banana liqueur

¼ oz creme de menthe

½ oz Bacardi 151 or overproof rum

In a 2 oz shot glass, pour the bottom layer of grenadine. For the middle layer, pour the Galliano over the back of a bar spoon to build your second layer. For the top layer, mix together ¼ oz each of creme de menthe and Bacardi 151. If you try to pour straight creme de menthe on top of your shot, the creme de menthe will fall to the middle, below the yellow layer. Mixing the overproof rum with the creme de menthe will alter the specific gravity, allowing it to float on top of the middle layer. Pour the cremem de menthe and Bacardi 151 mixture on top, leaving a little room for the Bacardi 151. Layer the last ¼ oz of overproof rum on top. Carefully light the top layer to make your Bob Marley Shot a flaming drink. Blow out the flame and shoot your drink, or leave it aflame and quickly drink the entire shot through a straw, until the flame is extinguished.

Always exercise caution with flaming drinks, especially with overproof rum. The Bacardi 151 is extremely flammable. Repeat the process of building shots and drinking them until you feel the Rastaman vibrations!

Building the Flaming Bob Marley Shot is a fairly quick process if you mix the creme de menthe and overproof rum correctly. This flaming shot takes about two minutes to assemble. Everyone recognizes what a unique artist Bob Marley was, no doubt the Flaming Bob Marley shot is also magnificent. The layers resemble the Rasta flag, and the flame represents…I’ll let you figure that part out.

A Quick Bob Marley Bio

Born Robert Marley Nesta in 1945, Bob Marley had a white father and a black mother, but identified strongly with pan-African and Rastafarian views. A recurring theme in his songs is a return to African roots. Marley was deeply influenced by Jamaican orator and black leader Marcus Garvey, whose statements that a black leader would be crowned in “the day of deliverance” led many Rastafarians to believe that Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia was a sort of incarnation of Jah. Bob Marley was in fact, later buried wearing Selassie’s Lion of Judah ring.

After releasing his first singles in 1962 to little fanfare under the name Bobby Martell, Bob Marley later went on the form the Wailers with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. After a series of bad record deals, they signed with Island Records in 1972, releasing the album Catch a Fire in 1973. The Wailers would break up in 1974, with Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, and Bob Marley each pursuing successful solo careers. Marley reformed a new Wailers group, continuing to grow his audience outside of Jamaica. Marley survived a home invasion style shooting in 1976, playing a benefit concert just two days later. Marley would later say, “The people who are trying to make this world worse aren’t taking a day off. How can I?”

Bob Marley continued to record uplifting and politically relevant songs until his death in 1981 at the age of 36. Diagnosed with malignant melanoma in his toe, he would refuse doctor’s advice to amputate due to religious beliefs. At the time of his death, the cancer had spread to his brain and lungs. His final words to son Ziggy were, “Money can’t buy life.” No other reggae artist has sold more records or received more accolades than the legend, Bob Marley. A new movie based on Marley’s life is set to be released (when else?) April 20th 2012.

About the author

Jöhn is one of the members of the modern day FNDC . In addition to coding and providing content for the site, he also enjoys playing the guitar and watching trippy movies. His favorite mixed drinks are whiskey sours and Jägerbombs. His favorite beers are Blackhawk Stout, Old Rasputin, and Sierra Nevada.